Article: Seahawks’ faith in DeShawn Shead

Enjoyed this one from Condotta.

http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/seah ... andsomely/

“But it’s an enormous leap of faith in a business where even in college, coaches will lie to your face — tell you one thing and then do something else. And for them to have that kind of trust and bond between that staff and a player to say ‘listen, we don’t have a spot for you right now but trust us, we believe in you, we really think this could happen for you.’ And for him to believe and trust in them and then for that to actually happen. How awesome is it that things have worked out that way.’’

Click to expand...

Sunday, though, the faith that Shead showed in the Seahawks — he says he had more than one offer to leave along the way — and the team in him was fulfilled like never before as he started at right cornerback and played every snap in a 12-10 win over Miami, earning the highest grade of any cornerback in the NFL from Pro Football Focus, which credited him with allowing just three receiving yards on 53 snaps.

Click to expand...

This is excellent insight in so many ways.

It explains why Shead bounced back and forth from Safety to CB. It's also awesome that Pete and John can disagree on a player, and it works out amicably. Pete even gave John credit for being right.

Also good insight on the organization and the PS in general. I knew they could pay guys extra, but I didn't know that a player could decline to go elsewhere. I thought if a team signed you off of a PS, you were gone.

Hawks46":1podtalc said:

This is excellent insight in so many ways.

It explains why Shead bounced back and forth from Safety to CB. It's also awesome that Pete and John can disagree on a player, and it works out amicably. Pete even gave John credit for being right.

Also good insight on the organization and the PS in general. I knew they could pay guys extra, but I didn't know that a player could decline to go elsewhere. I thought if a team signed you off of a PS, you were gone.

Click to expand...

Well technically, I think a player on a practice squad is like a free agent, in that they don't have to accept a contract offer from another team. After all, they have to pass waivers before they can even be on the practice squad. The team would have right of first refusal, I believe, if they are willing to make a spot on their own 53 for the PS player and sign him to a deal with the team.

Nice to see a young guy coming into his own.

I've been pulling for him since he signed with the ps. Got to watch him at PSU and always root for any former Vikings in the league. It's great to see his patience and trust paying off. Now, I just hope he doesn't play his way into being unaffordable. Something tells me they re-sign him and he, Sherman, Kam and Earl have several years together as the best db group in the league.

cheese22":209sc2kk said:

I've been pulling for him since he signed with the ps. Got to watch him at PSU and always root for any former Vikings in the league. It's great to see his patience and trust paying off. Now, I just hope he doesn't play his way into being unaffordable. Something tells me they re-sign him and he, Sherman, Kam and Earl have several years together as the best db group in the league.

Click to expand...

I hope you are right. I hope they sign him now.

This is one of best sport story I never hear of! Thank you for the share!

He's a 6'2 corner that's a better athlete and stonger player than Sherm. The feel good stuff about the Hawks organization is all well and good, but be real...either he started to pick it up and produce or he's gone. Ask Simon. It's a fine line and this is still capitalism. He owes no one and has a huge opportunity in front of him.

That said, I'm happy for the guy.

He had something Simon has never had . . . Desire. Grit. Determination. That's the difference between the guy who gets kept and the guy who gets cut.

Shead has long been a favorite of mine. He's like Kam in that he's such a freakish athlete for a man as big as he is, and I'm glad he's finally being focused on his best position .

I've been a big fan of DeShawn Shead since his departure from Portland Sate and arrival in Seattle. I've followed his career and enjoyed his steady development. I recall the rumors of offers from other teams and the anxiety it instilled of the possibility of his departure. I was ecstatic when the word came out that the front office had bumped his practice squad salary to a 53 roster figure ..... there by acknowledging his commitment to the Seahawks. Eventually, the Seahawks were compelled to promote him to the 53 man roster or lose him. It is so good to see him receive the recognition he has so clearly earned.

In so many ways, DeShawn exemplifies what the Seahawk program is all about. At one time, I thought we would eventually lose him to another team. Now days, I don't entertain such a possibility.

Here is a follow up article from John Boyle >>> From Practice Squad To Starter, Seahawks Cornerback DeShawn Shead Is A “Great Story” -- By John Boyle >>> [urltargetblank]http://www.seahawks.com/news/2016/09/17/practice-squad-starter-seahawks-cornerback-deshawn-shead-%E2%80%9Cgreat-story%E2%80%9D[/urltargetblank]

That was a good read. Been a big fan of Shead since he began showing promise last year. Love his physical style and pure guts to fight his way first onto the PS, then the 53 and now a starter. Think how many people overlooked him over the years or told him he wasn't good enough for the next level. Now he has an excellent chance to be a pro bowler this year. I really believe it.

And more importantly, his play makes the LOB as good as it could ever be.

And the fact that they have played him at safety only makes him a better corner because he understands how to work with the safety and what the responsibilities of each position are. He knows when, and why to hand a receiver off.

ivotuk":27ry07iq said:

And the fact that they have played him at safety only makes him a better corner because he understands how to work with the safety and what the responsibilities of each position are. He knows when, and why to hand a receiver off.

Click to expand...

Agree but is it possible that Shead made a potentially-huge mistake handing the receiver Stills off to ET on that almost-TD last Sunday? The instant reaction by ET, way off the play, was to raise his arm and point upfield in almost a wtf-happened? gesture.

LeftHandSmoke":7ktl94po said:

ivotuk":7ktl94po said:

And the fact that they have played him at safety only makes him a better corner because he understands how to work with the safety and what the responsibilities of each position are. He knows when, and why to hand a receiver off.

Click to expand...

Agree but is it possible that Shead made a potentially-huge mistake handing the receiver Stills off to ET on that almost-TD last Sunday? The instant reaction by ET, way off the play, was to raise his arm and point upfield in almost a wtf-happened? gesture.

Click to expand...

That's a tough one, because we don't know the responsibilities, but IIRC, ET started towards the other side where there were already 2 DBs, and left the other side wide open.

Either way, I doubt it happens again

ivotuk":3nwtqrng said:

LeftHandSmoke":3nwtqrng said:

ivotuk":3nwtqrng said:

And the fact that they have played him at safety only makes him a better corner because he understands how to work with the safety and what the responsibilities of each position are. He knows when, and why to hand a receiver off.

Click to expand...

Agree but is it possible that Shead made a potentially-huge mistake handing the receiver Stills off to ET on that almost-TD last Sunday? The instant reaction by ET, way off the play, was to raise his arm and point upfield in almost a wtf-happened? gesture.

Click to expand...

That's a tough one, because we don't know the responsibilities, but IIRC, ET started towards the other side where there were already 2 DBs, and left the other side wide open.

Either way, I doubt it happens again

Click to expand...

Yep, don't know either but ET's gesture did suggest a 'miscommunication' - by whoever.

I do like Shead, the coaches are apparently high on him too, to put him that 'vaunted' LOB position. Fingers crossed for a great game out of him tomorrow, I'd take both our corners over the soft corners that the Rams have.

Having rewatched the game, ALL of the corners brought their "A" game. Lane was stellar as well.

Best Secondary in football. Deepest secondary in football. Not even close.

Sheesh, Burley is a damn competent slot cover/nickel guy and they had no room for him. Once he gets healthy he will be the primary nickel guy for the Browns. They will love this well trained baller.

after watching Lane and Shead last weekend, I can definitely say with confidence that this is the best the secondary has been since 2013